The Unexpected Visitor
by Gingham
Summary: Phryne's musings about Jack's family are finally answered when a stranger shows up at City South. Set after 3 07 as Jack and Phryne get closer. Some fluff, some family dramaz, some high stakes action and pancakes.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note**

Hello everyone!

This is going to be a multi-chapter, but not set in my Repentance AU - this is something new. Post 3 08 is so stressful, isn't it? One must constantly be researching shipping routes or calculating solo flight paths, so I decided just to ignore it and set this new story after 3 07 instead. Much simpler!

Speaking of the other AU, though, I wanted to point out that my last story Through this Horror was completed - for some reason wouldn't refresh the last chapter and bring it up to the top, but if anyone was wondering whatever happened - it is finished, and there!

I hope you enjoy this new story. It is pretty much all written so should be updated daily.

Gingham xx

 **Chapter 1**

"Miss Fisher, you can't go through just now!"

"Really, Hugh, I thought we were beyond this!"

Her tone was one of cheerful exasperation, the statement delivered as she whisked through the station foyer at speed.

Hugh rolled his eyes at the not completely unexpected failure of his verbal warning and attempted a physical one instead, scrambling out from behind the desk to stop her in her tracks.

"Miss Fisher, the Inspector isn't –"

But Phryne Fisher had already flung the door to his superior's office. She stopped short, her mouth falling into an 'O' at the sight of the figure behind the desk.

"- in." Finished Hugh, lamely.

"I can see that," Phryne replied, her eyes fixed on the small blonde child in Jack's chair. "Hello," she said, kindness mingling with the surprise in her voice.

Big brown eyes surveyed her nervously.

"'Ello." Though quiet, the voice was not meek. In fact, thought Phryne, petulant might be a good way of describing it. She wasn't an expert at judging the ages of small children, but she guessed this little girl to be around three. She had a mess of blonde curls, a snub nose, and a dark, suspicious frown etched firmly on her small face. Her mouth opened, curiosity winning over shyness.

"Who's you?" she asked bluntly.

Phryne was accustomed to speaking to small children (such as she _was_ accustomed) in the same manner she spoke to everyone else. "I might ask you the same question!"

"Margo!"

Phryne turned to see Jack standing beside her in the doorway, hands on his hips. He was looking at the child with a stern expression on his face. Hugh relaxed at his presence, and retreated back to the foyer.

"I thought I made it clear you're not allowed to sit at my desk?"

Phryne watched in confusion as Jack stalked around the desk, the picture of discipline. His stoic expression only began to waver when Margo pulled herself to standing on his chair, a sheepish smile beginning to light up her face.

"Not unless you have a warrant card!" Jack pulled her towards him, swinging her off the chair as she shrieked with delight.

"Stop!" Margo giggled. "Unc- Jack!"

"Uncle Jack?" Phryne repeated, raising an enquiring eyebrow at Jack.

"Apologies, Miss Fisher," Jack said, the little girl still sitting in his arms. "If you've come to disrupt my day, I'm afraid someone else has beaten you to it."

"So I see." Phryne walked into the office, smiling at the girl.

Jack sat her down on the table and addressed Phryne. "What can I do for you?" He was smiling, but Phryne noticed he looked a little tired; his hair slightly messed up, as if he'd been running his hands through it.

"You can enlighten me for starters," she said. "I didn't know you had a niece."

Margo held her hands out for Jack and Jack absentmindedly pulled out his warrant card and gave it to her. She became engrossed, her little fingers softly running over the maroon leather cover.

"My sister's little girl," Jack said, looking down at her fondly.

"I didn't know you had a _sister_!" Phryne exclaimed.

It was infuriating, she realised, how little she knew about Jack's personal life. It certainly wasn't for lack of trying. She knew that both Jack's parents had died some years previously, and she was aware, obviously, of Rosie. There had once been a mention of Uncle Ted of coin collection fame. Other than that, she was completely in the dark. There had been numerous attempts to probe further, the sharing of episodes from her childhood in the hope of gleaning a morsel in return, countless offers of a lift home just so she could see where he lived. All had been expertly rebuffed. Even their developing relationship hadn't given her any more clues. Since their tennis game a few days ago, Phryne knew they were on the verge of something new. His manner towards her had changed, his confidence grown. She'd never seen him like it before. It was like he knew what he wanted, and he was no longer afraid to ask. But still, Jack was also a private person, protective and close. It took time to pry apart his layers, even for Phryne, who by now considered herself something of an expert.

And here, after all those months of probing, was the sudden and insurmountable proof of a private life, of a family she had hitherto almost no information about. She could barely believe it.

Jack placed a hand on her elbow and moved her gently away from the desk, lowering his voice so that Margo couldn't hear. "Isabel and I have a somewhat... difficult relationship," he admitted. "Her husband..." he broke off, looking pained.

"Not his biggest fan?" Phryne guessed sympathetically.

Jack flashed her a look that plainly showed how much of an understatement he considered that to be, even if he _was_ too polite to say so. "He's not who I would have chosen for her, let's put it that way." He flashed a look back at Margo who was still fascinated with his warrant card, her face hidden under her mess of curls. "They're constantly fighting. Now she's threatening to leave him."

"Well, that's a good thing, surely?" Phryne said, keeping her voice low. "It can't be a pleasant environment to grow up in?"

"If I thought she meant it I'd agree. But she does this every few months or so. Swoops down on me with absolutely no warning, dumps..." he flashed another look at Margo, lowering his voice even further. "...dumps Margo with me and then takes off. Within a couple of days they've made up and she picks Margo up and swans back to him pretending everything is fine."

Phryne frowned. "Poor kid." She thought back to her own experiences, wondering just how destructive a relationship Jack's sister was in. "It can be difficult, you know," she said gently. "To leave."

"I know," Jack replied quickly. "I've tried to help..."

"I'm sure you have," Phryne interjected, not wanting him to think she was implying otherwise. She knew Jack would do everything he could to protect the people he loved.

"But it's difficult. I've had the same conversation with her a hundred times, and... she and I... well," he sighed and ran a hand over his face, sinking back against the desk. "She could always be a bit…" his brow creased. "Unreasonable."

The phone on his desk rang loudly and Jack stretched back over the desk to lift the receiver. "And she _always_ picks the busiest days. Yes?"

While Jack took the call, Phryne walked back towards Margo, who had lost interest in the card and tried to give it back to her. Suddenly appreciating the future benefits a police warrant card could afford her, she reached out for it eagerly, only to have it snatched back by Jack.

"What?" she mouthed, her eyes wide with innocence. Jack narrowed his eyes at her as he continued the conversation, stuffing his card back into his pocket.

Phryne smiled, noting the similarities between uncle and niece. Suspicion clearly ran in the family. But there was another similarity, she realised with a start. Jack handing Margo his warrant card had reminded her vividly of him pinning his Buffalo Bill badge to her robe a few days earlier. _He gives us tokens_. And then, only weeks before, the blue swallow pin he claimed - although she didn't believe it for a minute - had been part of Nurse Mary's stash. Was it easier for him to express his affection that way? Giving away little bits of himself rather than say the words. And did that put her into the same category as his obviously much loved niece?

She looked down at the little girl, feeling a strange and unfamiliar camaraderie. "We're in the same club," she whispered, confident that Jack was engrossed in the call and couldn't hear. _People who are important to Jack._

Margo was clearly unconvinced, regarding Phryne with a stoic stare. _Not easily impressed_ , thought Phryne, recognising another Robinson family trait.

Jack was hanging up the telephone, an angry look on his face.

"What's wrong?"

"Those idiots over at Central have misidentified a suspect in one of my cases," Jack said, plainly aggrieved.

"Idiots!" repeated Margo happily, and Phryne couldn't help but laugh at Jack's open mouthed look of horror.

"Don't say that, Margo."

"Idiots!"

Phryne giggled again and Jack shot her a censorious glance.

"Am I to be plagued by women who won't be told?" He sounded annoyed, but a twitch of his lips told her his mood was improving.

"It does seem to be your lot in life," she replied. "She'll be solving your crimes before you know it."

"Heaven forfend _you_ have any competition, Miss Fisher."

"I thought I was helping you!" Phryne's tone was innocent.

Jack made a grimace. "I may have to ask for your help again."

Phryne creased her eyebrows at him, then looked towards Margo in sudden realisation. "Oh, Jack. You can't be serious!"

"I have to go and sort this out," Jack pleaded. "I have no idea how long I'll be, and I have no-one else to ask."

Phryne folded her arms, contemplating an afternoon of childminding the way others contemplate natural disasters. "What about Hugh?"

"Collins is on duty, I can't ask him to babysit."

"You don't seem to have a problem asking me!"

Jack was already pulling on his overcoat. "On the contrary, Miss Fisher. Only dire desperation would induce me to put myself in the position of owing you a favour."

Phryne considered this. There were advantages there, certainly.

Jack walked towards her, a pleading look in his eyes. "Please?"

She felt her resolve softening, a sort of melting feeling she didn't want to analyse too deeply at present.

"Fine."

Much to her surprise, Jack grabbed her by the shoulders, whispered a heartfelt "thank you!" and was gone, leaving Phryne and Margo eyeing each other nervously.

Then he was back, a head and shoulders around the door.

"Don't drive too fast."

And he was gone again.


	2. Chapter 2

**Previously:** Phryne found Jack in a quandary and reluctantly agreed to babysit his niece.

 **Chapter 2**

There was never a more delicious sound, Phryne decided, than the gurgle of good malt whiskey being poured into a crystal glass.

She sipped at it immediately, not even waiting until she sank back into the cushions of the chaise.

"She's asleep, Miss." Dot appeared at the parlour door, looking as tired as Phryne felt.

"You're a miracle worker," Phryne whimpered gratefully. "Come and sit down, and for once, let Mr B give you something alcoholic."

Dot laughed as she entered the room and took an armchair. "It wasn't that bad, Miss."

It had seemed a wonderful idea, when it first occurred to Phryne, to take Margo back to Wardlow and deposit her into the care of her assistant. Dot was wonderful with children, was looking forward to motherhood, and bless her, had only been too happy to take over the wellbeing of Jack's little niece.

But watching Margo had turned quickly into a two person job – three, if you counted Mr Butler and his attempts to entertain the little girl. It wasn't that she was unruly or badly behaved. But Margo had dissolved into tears the moment she had entered the house; the unfamiliarity of her situation, Phryne supposed, and the entire household had been employed in cheering her up ever since.

The tears had eventually abated with Mr Butler's juggling demonstration (there seemed to be no end to his talents – Phryne fully expected him to tell her he had served in the 5th Armoured Circus Performers Corps. one of these days), but the child had barely said a word all day. Not baking with Dot, messing about in the garden, nor even (Phryne had been desperate at this point) playing with her jewellery box could draw her out of herself.

In the end it had taken both of them, Dot and Phryne, sitting with the child between them, reading an old children's book out loud and doing their best to put on the sort of silly voices Phryne reserved for when she was at her most drunk. Margo had eventually cracked a smile, let out a giggle, and the two women had looked at each other like alchemists who had created gold.

By this time, it was past 8 o'clock, and though Phryne had no idea what time children went to sleep – she and Janey had spent long evenings running around in Collingwood with no bedtime in sight – Dot seemed to think it was high time the child got some rest. Calls to City South reached only Hugh, who explained that the Inspector was _still_ tied up in his bureaucratic nightmare, and with a sigh, Phryne realised that Margo would indeed be spending the night in situ.

Having finally achieved what she called "putting her down" – and Phryne hoped, but didn't ask, that this had a different connotation when applied to children rather than dogs - the least Dot deserved was a stiff drink.

Mr Butler appeared like a mirage on the horizon. "Sherry, Dorothy?"

"Thank you, Mr Butler." Dot took the drink gratefully.

"The Inspector is fully aware he is indebted to me for this, Dot," Phryne said ruminatively. "I'll have to make sure he knows he owes you a favour too."

"Oh, I don't mind, Miss."

Phryne eyed her. "It could mean some time off for Hugh?"

Dot reddened. "Oh, well…"

The two women dissolved into giggles, which tailed off as they considered the small child sleeping in the upstairs guest room.

"She's such a quiet little thing." Dot said, a hint of worry showing through her tone. "She seemed so sad."

"Hmmm." Phryne considered. "She seemed happy enough with Jack." She quickly smothered the smile she felt creeping onto her face at the memory. She'd have loved an uncle like Jack when she was a little girl.

"I don't want to pry, Miss, but…"

"Go on, Dot. You're entitled. You've just spent the whole day looking after her, after all."

"You said her parents have had a fight?" Dot's eyes were creased in concern.

Phryne leaned back thoughtfully. "I understand it's not an irregular occurrence."

"Poor thing."

Phryne thought back to her own childhood, caught in between parents who alternatively loved and loathed each other. Life was tumultuous when the two people who made up your home were constantly threatening to break away. She remembered the countless times her mother had thrown her father out; the tears and shouting; Henry battering on their flimsy door until Margaret relented. Then, there would be the making up, the days where the two of them were so enraptured with each other they could barely spare a glance for Phryne and her sister. Those were the days when she would grab Janey and they would run through the streets, playing games and singing songs, losing themselves in their imaginations because even the shifting sands of their make believe lives were more secure than their real ones.

Was that what Margo's life was like? She couldn't believe that Jack's family could be as dysfunctional as hers. He represented solidity, security. He was the one constant, even now, when all that was behind her. _And that's what he is for Margo too_ , she realised with a pang. The one thing that stops life from being terrifying when Mum and Dad are fighting.

Phryne became aware she hadn't responded to Dot, and tried to lend voice to thought. "I think she misses Jack. We're all so unfamiliar to her."

"She seemed to come round in the end."

"Yes." Phryne smiled at the memory of Margo giggling between them as she herself had attempted the closest thing she could imagine to a dragon voice. "A lover of literature. Just like her Uncle."

The telephone rang, and Mr Butler was there immediately, keen for the child's sleep to remain undisturbed.

"Hello?" He placed his hand over the mouthpiece. "The Inspector, Miss Fisher."

Phryne came through to the hall and took the telephone, thanking Mr Butler, who bustled back to the kitchen.

"Hello?"

"Phryne, I'm so sorry."

The dropping of her formal name spoke volumes about Jack's guilt. Phryne softened ( _again_ , she pointed out to herself, rather spitefully).

"It's alright, Jack. Hugh told us you were occupied."

"I couldn't get away. I ended up having to personally arrest the right person while everyone else was rooting around for the right form to complete in triplicate to release the poor bloke they should never have arrested in the first place!"

Jack wasn't one to speak ill of his colleagues without good reason, so Phryne could tell he'd had an especially trying day. She decided to bench her forced babysitting complaint for the present.

"You can't rely on anyone," she remarked instead.

"I can rely on you, thank God," Jack said, almost inaudibly, and Phryne made a mental note to remind him of it when next he found her especially infuriating.

"Always!" she smiled.

"How is she? Has she been difficult?"

"Not… difficult," Phryne hesitated, but decided to wait and share her concerns about the girl when they were face to face.

"Phryne?" Jack had noticed the pause.

"She's certainly had my entire household dancing attendance all day."

Jack snorted. "She must have picked that up from you."

"I hope that wasn't an insult, Jack Robinson."

"Not at all. A compliment to your charm, in fact."

"Hmm."

"Shall I come and pick her up?"

Phryne looked at the clock. It was after nine o'clock. "She's asleep, Jack."

"Oh…" There was a pause. In her mind's eye, she could see Jack stretching out his wrist to look at his watch. "Damn. I didn't realise it was so late. I'm sorry, really."

"It's no problem, Jack," she answered sincerely. "Why don't you go home and rest? You sound tired. She can stay here tonight and you can pick her up tomorrow."

"Yes… yes, I suppose…" she heard him sigh down the line. "I'm sorry, I never meant to land you with the overnight shift."

"She's hardly likely to be any more trouble asleep."

"I know, but… I don't want you to feel like I tricked you into something…"

"Now that _was_ an insult," Phryne said sternly. As if Phryne Fisher could be tricked into anything!

There was a huff of breath that she correctly interpreted as a laugh. "Alright. Well, if you're sure."

"Of course."

"I'm taking tomorrow off, so I can look after her myself."

"Good." Phryne's eyes turned upwards to the ceiling and the direction of the sleeping girl. "I think she'll like that."

"Phryne?"

"Jack?"

"Thank you. I don't know what I would have done without you today."

She smiled into the mouthpiece. "Just today?"

There was a silence, and she waited, wondering if he would back away or make a joke like he usually did.

"Not just today." The reply was quiet but sure.

She smiled wider into another silence. They listened to each other breathing for a few moments.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Jack."

"Goodnight, Phryne."


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note:**

Thanks for the reviews and follows so far, I hope you continue to enjoy!

To those who wondered, this goes AU after S03E07, so assume S03E08 never happened... and therefore plenty more room for delicious interruptions for me to play with \,,/

Hope you enjoy this instalment, and good day from a distinctly rainy London :(

xx

 **Previously:**

Jack was kept working late, so Phryne and her household took charge of his niece for the night. Phryne began to worry about Margo's home life.

 **Chapter 3**

A happy scene greeted Phryne when she came down to breakfast the next morning. Dot already had Margo up and dressed – in this she was further along that Phryne, who was still clad in her robe – and was in the process of coaxing some breakfast into her. She had clearly decided that the child would feel more comfortable in the kitchen rather than the more formal dining room and the two were eating together companionably while Mr Butler busied himself around them.

"Good morning all!" Phryne said brightly.

Her greeting was returned by Dot and Mr Butler, but not by Margo, who had yet to say more than a few words to Phryne.

Phryne settled herself in the seat across from Margo and managed to establish eye contact. Clearly, her heroism of the storybook reading the night before had worn off, and Margo's expression had returned to her default setting of suspicion.

"Good morning, Margo," said Phryne.

The girl turned her head towards Dot.

"Well, _she's_ chosen her favourite!" Phryne said petulantly, unused to snubs of any kind.

Dot laughed. "She's just shy, Miss."

"Hmm." An idea came to her. "Luckily I know how to deal with uncooperative Robinsons. Mr Butler!"

"Miss?"

"The biggest stack of pancakes you can manage, please!"

"Coming right up, Miss."

Margo's mouth had fallen open at the word pancake and she looked to Phryne with a new admiration in her eyes.

Phryne smiled triumphantly as Dot chuckled. "I thought so."

After a pleasant interlude involving the various toppings one can put on a pancake, Phryne and Margo seemed to have reached a wordless _entente cordiale_ , whereby one would feign inattention whilst the other attempted to steal a piece of pancake from their plate. After loading up a fork with pancake, strawberries and cream, Phryne finally sealed friendly relations by feinting a course to her own mouth only to swerve off route at the last moment and offering the whole thing to Margo.

"Tank oo." The words were muffled through wads of cream, but Phryne got the gist.

"You're welcome."

There was a tap on the kitchen door, and the assembled household looked up to see Jack smiling through the door pane. He came in, carrying a holdall and Phryne greeted him with a grin.

"Jack! Sit down and have some breakfast."

"Thank you." Jack put down the bag he was carrying, explaining that he'd brought Margo a change of clothes. He then greeted Margo, who had thrown up her arms to him when he entered. "Good morning, trouble. What have you been up to?"

Phryne caught Dot's eye, adopted a petulant look and whispered, "I thought that was his name for _me_." Dot turned her laugh into a cough just in time.

"We having pancakes!" Margo was telling Jack, her eyes dancing with excitement.

"I can see that," Jack replied, laughing. "They're all over your face." He took a napkin from the still cough-laughing Dot and wiped her down.

He took the seat next to Phryne and accepted a full plate from Mr Butler. "Thank you, Mr Butler. Everything alright?" he asked Phryne.

"I've afraid you'll have to ask Dot," Phryne replied, watching Margo get down from her chair and run round to Jack's side.

"Mm?" Jack prompted, pulling the little girl onto his lap and holding her with one arm so he could eat with the other.

"Margo and I have only recently become firm friends," Phryne faux-whispered.

"Ah. And what did you have to do to accomplish that?"

"I plied her with food."

"Ah-ha." Jack looked down at his fork, which had newly speared a sausage and piece of bacon. "I'm familiar with that tactic."

"Gratins and pancakes are all much of a muchness, Jack."

"Clearly." Jack turned to Dot. "Thank you, Dorothy. I know childminding isn't strictly part of your duties. I appreciate your help."

"Not at all, Inspector," said Dot, reddening slightly at the compliment. "Why don't I get her dressed? Let you eat your breakfast in peace?"

Margo allowed Dot to lift her out of Jack's lap and out of the kitchen.

"So, what's your plan for the day?" Phryne asked.

Jack chewed thoughtfully. "I might take her down to the beach. She likes paddling. And splashing me. Mainly the latter."

Phryne laughed. "Sounds fun."

A frown creased his forehead. "I should try and get in touch with Isabel. See what she's playing at."

"Hasn't she given you any indication of when she'll be back for her?"

"She barely said anything, just that she was leaving him for good this time, and she'd be back to pick Margo up when it was all sorted. She was hysterical, which made Margo hysterical…" Jack tailed off with a sigh. "It was a mess, as usual."

Phryne nodded. She remembered those histrionics well. Her heart swelled for the little girl; what could she do to help?

"She was very upset yesterday," she said. She had wondered whether to bring it up with Jack, but he was responsible for her after all, even if only temporarily.

"Yesterday?" he asked, his head tilting. "When I left? You didn't say."

"She was fine by the time we spoke. It was just being in an unfamiliar situation, I suppose. The poor child doesn't know what to think."

A look of guilt crossed Jack's face, and he replaced his fork and knife on the plate. "I shouldn't have left her like that."

"You didn't have a choice."

"But I…"

"Jack, be fair to yourself." She placed a reassuring hand on his arm. "Your sister didn't exactly give you any warning."

Jack shook his head in frustration. "She never does."

"Exactly. It's just…" She hesitated over the next point, and looked around her. Mr Butler had obviously shimmered off somewhere else, and they were alone in the kitchen.

Jack turned in his seat to face her. "Phryne?"

"I remember what it's like to have parents who fight all the time. It's so… unsettled. You can never relax, or predict what will happen next. You have to worry about things you shouldn't have to worry about at that age; where you're going to sleep that night, or whether you'll ever see your father again."

His hand covered hers when it lay on the table. "I'm sorry," he said gently.

She smiled, and squeezed his hand reassuringly. "It's over for me now. I'm just worried…"

"That that's what it's like for Margo?"

"I don't know… I hope not. At least she has you. I never had that source of stability. And Margo clearly adores you."

Jack gave her a pained look and leant back in his seat. "I left her, though."

She couldn't let him get away with that. "One time, Jack, because you didn't have a choice."

He looked out of the window for a moment, considering. "But if you're saying that I'm a… source of stability then I should…"

She shifted in her seat, leaning forward to get his attention. She chided herself internally; she was being uncharacteristically unclear. "I'm not saying you need to take full responsibility, I'm trying to say… we can help."

"We can…?" He looked confused.

"Dot, Mr Butler, and I. We're familiar to her now too. I've even learnt how to do dragon noises. We can help. Whenever you need us."

There was a silence and Jack's expression of shock melted into something softer. "… I don't know what to say."

Covering her emotion with a forced smile, Phryne took his plate and put it in the sink. "There's no need to say anything. It's a simple offer, it's nothing, really." She tried to keep her voice light and airy but she knew he had seen through it.

"It's not nothing." Jack was on his feet beside her. She turned to face him, feeling strangely nervous. Their eyes searched each other's, the silence stretching out to breaking point. Phryne felt her palms tingle. Had she meant for her offer of help to leave her so exposed? But Jack was looking at her as if she had nothing to hide, and no way of hiding it if she did.

"Phryne… your parents, I wish…" His eyes were dark, his voice low and intimate.

She managed a genuine smile this time, knowing that if he could, he would do anything to change what she had been through.

" _I_ wish… I'd had someone like you back then," she said honestly.

He searched her eyes again and gave a small shrug. "You have me now."

Did she?

"Jack…"

Her heart gave a surge as she registered him move toward her. His hand cupped her face and for a moment she felt an irresistible magnetic pull…

"Sir!"

Phryne let out a breath of irritation and shot Hugh Collins a frustrated glare. Jack, having leapt back from Phryne at the sudden opening of the door, was regarding his constable with something close to fury.

Hugh shut the back door behind him, oblivious to the tension in the room. "Sir, I've just come from the station."

"It's my day off, Collins." Jack's voice was as hard as flint. Phryne leant back against the sink, trying to dampen down the thumping of her heart.

"I know, Sir, I'm sorry." Hugh was panting; clearly he'd come from the station in something of a hurry. "I thought you should know, Sir. Sergeant Gates and four constables at City Central have been arrested on corruption charges."

Phryne looked to Jack in shock. He looked affronted, though not necessarily surprised.

"The ones on the Laverty case?"

"Yes, Sir."

Jack swore under his breath, shaking his head in disgust. "That explains why they went out of their way to arrest the wrong man."

"The Chief Commissioner wants you to come in to make a statement, Sir."

"What, now?"

"Right away, I'm afraid, Sir."

Jack shot Phryne a look of frustration. "I can't," he said firmly. "I have to look after my niece today."

"Sir, the order was very clear…" Collins looked deeply uncomfortable.

"For God's sake!" Jack was clearly annoyed. "There must be reams of evidence to go through. My statement can wait a day, surely." Having built his own corruption case against Sanderson, Jack knew only too well the endless red tape involved.

"The Chief Commissioner said anyone who refuses to cooperate is likely to be treated as a suspect, Sir…" Collins had obviously been putting off relaying that particular message. His reluctance was well justified when Jack swore again.

"Jack," Phryne said, putting a soothing arm on his forearm. "It's fine. We'll look after her."

Jack looked pained. "No. I want to be there for her. You… we discussed this a moment ago…"

"I know, but…" Phryne looked to Hugh, nervously awaiting the decision. "You have to go in, you don't have a choice."

He shook his head. "This is too much to ask of you."

"We discussed this a moment ago too. I want to help."

Hugh pretended not to notice Phryne's hand slipping down Jack's arm, or the way their fingers linked briefly.

"Uncle Jack!" Margo entered the room at speed, almost falling into Jack's legs. He picked her up, holding her close.

"Are we going beach?" she breathed excitedly.

Phryne's heart broke for the two of them as she watched Jack grapple with the situation.

"I can't today, sweetheart. I'm sorry."

This was clearly contrary to information received. "Why?!"

"I have to go to the police station for a while…"

The rest of his sentence was lost in a wail of despair as Margo realised the truth of the situation.

"Phryne will take you to the beach," Jack offered, but with no effect. Margo continued to sob hopelessly, her arms tightly around Jack's neck.

"I have to go, sweetheart."

Phryne stepped up to them. "Margo, we'll have fun, won't we? You and Dot and I? We know all the best places to paddle… and where to get the best ice cream!" She tried to inject as much giddy enthusiasm into the itinerary as she could, but to no avail.

Thanking her with his eyes, Jack tried to hand the screaming girl over to Phryne whilst trying to protect himself from little booted feet which were now kicking at him determinedly.

"Come here, darling," Phryne soothed, but still Margo continued to scream.

"I'm so sorry," Jack said to them – both, it seemed."

"It's alright," Phryne mouthed.

"Thank you," he mouthed back. Finally free of Margo's thrashing limbs, he quickly leaned forward and swept back her curls to place a kiss on her forehead. "I'll see you soon."

Collins hustled his boss apologetically out of the door as the two of them departed in cloud of guilt and urgency.

Margo turned round in Phryne's arms to see if Jack had in fact, gone. "Uncle Jack?" she whimpered.

"He'll be back soon, darling," Phryne reassured her. Margo ignored her, staring steadfastly out of the window as if she expected Jack to return immediately.

"He'll be back soon."


	4. Chapter 4

**Previously:** Phryne agreed to take Margo to the beach when Jack was called to work.

 **Chapter 4**

"Sir?"

"Don't give me any messages, Collins."

"But, Sir, you had a call…"

"I mean it." Jack swept into his office and steadfastly did not remove his coat or jacket. "I came back to drop these files off and then I'm going to go and be with my niece."

He landed the files in his in-tray, determinedly ignoring the paperwork that had amassed on his desk during the morning he had spent at the Chief Commissioner's office.

The giving of his statement had been a long and tedious affair. The case was a complex one, and his experience of the previous day needed thorough examination in order to discover who exactly was implicated in the corruption charges. At least, he thought, he'd done his best to make sure those who were guilty would face justice. Nothing angered him more than a dirty copper.

But now, he was determined to bring his blood down from boiling point in the soonest time possible, catch up with Margo, and make sure the little girl knew there was at least one person in her life she could rely on.

Two, if you counted Phryne. Odd, that despite all her insistence that she didn't "do children", she never hesitated to help those who needed it, even if ( _especially_ if) they were young and lost. Just look at Paddy only a couple of weeks ago. Not to mention Jane. Of course it wasn't odd at all, not when you knew her. Her empathy for children in need, and the hard shell she built to hide it, came from exactly the same place.

She was, quite simply, the most extraordinary woman he had ever known. The idea of life without her had once seemed desirable. Necessary even, after that car crash. But now… well it had been some time now since he'd realised that life without Phryne Fisher was simply unthinkable.

They had grown so close recently that at times it felt as if they were only waiting for the right moment. It had almost happened this morning, until –

"Sir?"

Jack scowled at the irony of Collin's interrupting his thoughts even now, before remembering he was trying to improve his mood. He walked back into the foyer, aiming straight for the station doors and the rest of his day off.

"Just tell whoever it was to call back tomorrow, please."

"Sir, it was your sister."

Jack stopped, almost at the threshold, and turned back to Collins. "My sister telephoned here?"

Collins nodded, holding out a notepad. "She asked could you please call her back at this number."

"Thank you," Jack took the pad and walked back to his office to place the call. He was going to be delayed, but at least he might get some information out of Isabel.

He sat down at his desk as he waited for the call to be placed and was slightly surprised to hear the voice of an elderly lady answer.

"Flemings' Guest House?"

Ah, that's where she was staying then.

"Yes, may I speak to a Mrs. Isabel Drake, please?"

There was a pause. "I'm afraid there's nobody here of that name, Sir."

Jack blinked, then remembered that Isabel may consider herself estranged from her husband at this point. "I'm sorry, Isabel Robinson, perhaps?"

"One moment, please."

There was a long silence while Jack waited for Isabel to come to the phone. He drummed his fingers impatiently on the desk.

"Hello?"

"Bel, it's me."

"Jack, at last! I've been telephoning you all morning, where have you been?" Isabel sounded frantic.

"I had to… it doesn't matter. Are you alright?"

"I'm… yes, I'm alright."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm better than I was," Bel said tremulously. "Now I've finally walked away from that bastard."

Jack sighed. He'd lost count of the number of times he'd advised her to do exactly that. Once, Bel would tell him about every argument in vivid detail, and he had held nothing back in letting her know exactly what he thought of Leopold Drake. But when they inevitably reconciled, Bel would tell Leo everything her big brother had said, and relations between the two brothers-in-law (only ever amicable, on Jack's part, because he wanted to maintain contact with Bel and Margo) had worsened into open hostility. Leo had told Bel to choose, and Bel had chosen her husband. Now, the only time Jack saw his sister was on her not infrequent flits from the house, and he was sick and tired of advising Bel to leave her husband just to have it used against him – by both parties - later.

If he ever thought she or Margo was in danger… but Bel swore he'd never laid a finger on her, and that he was a wonderful father. Jack hoped fervently that the former was true, and as for the latter… he'd never seen any evidence of it.

"I need to know what you're doing, Bel. How long do you expect me to look after Margo?"

There was a hiss of breath through teeth, following by a tone that was significantly cooler than before. "If it's too much trouble…"

Jack rolled his eyes at how quickly a conversation between them could turn passive aggressive.

"I didn't say that," he explained, through gritted teeth. "I'd just like to know what's going on."

"It's better that Margo and I aren't together just now," Bel said, her voice hard.

"What do you mean?"

"He'll be looking for us. He's decided he wants custody. He thought I wouldn't leave him if he threatened to take away my girl."

Jack almost laughed. Margo was nothing but leverage for that man. He had no interest in her. Ever since she was born, he saw her simply as a distraction, something that drew Bel's attention away from him.

"Bel, you need to get yourself a solicitor, I can…" he cut himself off, chiding himself internally. This was pointless. She would go back to him. She always did.

"I will, Jack, I promise…"

Jack shook his head sadly. She wouldn't.

"I just want to know that my daughter is safe. If she's not with me, he can't find her."

Jack shook his head in disbelief at her misplaced certainty. As if Leo didn't know Bel dumped Margo with her brother every time they had a fight! It wouldn't take much to track her down. But this was all a moot point, he reasoned with himself. Phryne had her. "Of course she's safe," he said confidently.

"Where is she?"

"She's… being looked after."

"What do you mean?" The pitch of her voice increased dramatically. "Do you mean you don't have her?"

"She's with a friend," Jack explained calmly. "I had to work this morning."

"Oh God!" Bel was clearly panicking. "How could you be so irresponsible, Jack?"

"Bel," Jack tried to interrupt.

"I thought I could trust you…"

"Isabel!" Jack raised his voice. "Be reasonable. You can't just expect me to drop everything at a moment's notice. You know what this job is."

"More important than your own flesh and blood?" Bel screeched.

Jack desperately fought the urge to shout back. "Of course not. But sometimes something happens, and I can't…"

There was a deep, shaky breath on the line. "Jack. Where is my daughter?"

"She's with a friend. She's perfectly fine. I was on my way to see them when I got your message."

There was a silence.

"Bel?"

"You have to go and find her."

Jack frowned. "I will, but…"

"Jack…" another pause, and her voice, when it came, had lost all of its histrionic quality. "This thing about custody…"

"Yes?"

"Leo doesn't care about being a father. I think he just wants Margo to get to me."

Jack sat back in his chair, reeling at the bare honesty he had just heard. It was the first time Bel had admitted Leo was anything other than a perfect father. It must mean she was afraid.

"Please, Jack. Don't let him get to her."

()

If someone had told Phryne she'd be happily sacrificing her _haute couture_ to salt water splashes from a small child, she'd never have believed it. But she was only just beginning to realise the lengths she would go to entertain an unhappy child, and to her horror, dragon noises had only been the beginning.

Margo had refused point blank to paddle, regarding the ocean with the sort of suspicion Phryne herself usually reserved for armed gunmen. It wasn't until Phryne had removed her own shoes and stockings and pledged they would tackle the water together, that Margo allowed herself to be led into the shallow water. Once in, though, she was a natural, and Phryne soon realised that Jack's claims that Margo enjoyed splashing others were not unfounded.

They frolicked happily enough for fifteen minutes or so, until Phryne decided that was probably enough of that, then they stumbled back up the beach to where Dot was waiting with towels.

"Would anyone like an ice cream?" Phryne asked once they had dried off. She was determined not to give Margo the chance to remember how much she was missing Jack.

She was determined not to give _herself_ that chance, for that matter!

"Ice scream!" Margo shouted happily. Phryne could only take it as a yes.

"I'll go, Miss." Dot sprang up from the sand.

"Are you sure?"

"Of course."

"Thank you, Dot." Phryne handed her companion some coins and Dot trotted happily off towards the ice cream seller, who had his stall further along the shore.

Margo was squinting up at Phryne, the sun full in her face. Her mother, Phryne had been annoyed to note, had not thought to include a hat or sunglasses in her no doubt hastily packed baggage.

"Shall we move up there?" Phryne said, thinking she could at least get the child into the shade. Margo nodded and took Phryne's hand, walking with her as they moved up the beach.

"We might build a sandcastle," Phryne suggested. "Once we've eaten our ice creams. Why don't you see if you can find some nice shells to decorate it with?"

Margo looked confused, and Phryne knelt down beside her, pointing to a shell in the sand. "Look. Isn't that lovely?"

Margo studied it, then nodded. "Yes, lovely!" she said, decisively.

Phryne smiled. The child was beginning to talk more and more. It must be a good sign. "Well, why don't we see if we can find any more like that?"

Margo nodded, and for the next few minutes was busying herself running back and forward to Phryne with shells of assorted size, colour and beauty. Phryne walked alongside her, always making sure she didn't stray too far.

"They're lovely at that age, aren't they?"

Phryne turned to see a tall man, with thick blonde hair and roguish good looks that might have been enough to entice her, were it not for… anyway.

"She is, though she's not mine." She turned her eyes back to where Margo was acquiring her latest specimen.

"That's usually enough to make them even lovelier," the man chuckled. There was a pleasant Irish tang to his voice, and Phryne found herself smiling back.

"You're probably right."

"I have a daughter myself, though," he continued. "Same age."

"How charming." Despite the man's friendly manner, Phryne found the conversation steering towards the boring, and was happy to see Margo begin to run back to her.

"What have you got this time?" She asked Margo, hoping the man would take the hint and wander off.

But Margo stopped dead in her tracks, her eyes widening as she looked at the Irishman.

"Daddy?"

Phryne barely had time to turn in shock before she felt a crushing blow as his fist connected with the side of her skull. Her head ringing, she dropped to the sand. Adrenaline pumping, she reached for the dagger in her stocking only to feel the full force of a kick to the stomach. She curled reflexively, unable to move, struggling to breathe. Through the pain, she was aware of Margo's scream of fright as the man scooped her up into his arms and run up the beach towards the road.


	5. Chapter 5

**Previously:** Leo Drake tracked his daughter down and assaulted Phryne whilst snatching her.

 **Chapter 5**

"I'm sorry to ask you to do this, Collins. I'd rather my personal life not become missed up in police business, but as it is…"

They were driving down towards the foreshore at speed, Jack fingers tapping impatiently on the dashboard as Collins manoeuvred the vehicle deftly through the traffic."

"No need to apologise, Sir. Do you really think Drake might go after your niece?"

"I don't know." Jack shook his head in frustration. "It could all be my sister's usual flair for the dramatic, but…" he tailed off, remembering the phone call. He'd never heard her sound that quietly scared before her.

Damn! Why couldn't she just tell him what was going on? What on earth made her listen to that brute Drake over him?

He was jolted from his thoughts as Collins swore loudly, and pulled the car to a sudden and screeching halt.

"What the – ?"

He stopped as he registered what Collins had seen – Dot was running towards them, clearly distraught.

"Hugh! Inspector! Please, help!"

They were both out of the car like a shot. Hugh reached his fiancé first, taking her by the shoulders. "Dot! What happened?"

"He took her… he took her…" Dot was violently out of breath.

"Calm down, Dottie, just try to tell us what happened," Hugh pleaded. Jack looked around the beach, frantically scanning the beach for Margo and Phryne. He could see neither.

Dot, still speechless, had grabbed Hugh's arm and was pulling him down the beach. Jack followed.

"Dot, please!" He knew the news wasn't good, whatever it was. The suspense was unbearable.

She was beginning to get her breath back. "I was buying ice cream… and I saw Miss Phryne talking to a man…"

"What man? What did he look like?" Hugh asked quickly.

Jack felt his patience come to an end. "Collins, let her finish. Dot?"

Dot continued her relentless pace down the beach. Jack overtook her quickly, putting out a hand. "Dot, stop!"

She looked shocked at his tone, but something in her eyes flickered back to life and she seemed to breathe more calmly.

"Dot," Jack said, as levelly as he was able. "Where is Miss Fisher?"

"The man… he assaulted her," Dot replied, sounding shocked at her own words. Her finger extended along the beach in the direction she had been pulling them. "And then he grabbed Margo and put her in a car. He drove away."

Jack followed her finger and saw a figure slumped in a sitting position on the beach. He would never have recognised her from her posture if he didn't know it was her. She looked so utterly defeated. She was staring out towards the water, her hand across her stomach.

He looked back to Dot. "Do you remember the number plate? The direction the car went?" He was fairly sure he knew who the culprit was, but Drake may have hired a car.

"Yes," Dot answered steadily, and he was impressed by her resolve.

"Collins, take full details," he said. "A description as well."

"Sir."

He left Collins with Dot and made his way to the sitting figure. She didn't look up at his approach, so he knelt down in front of her.

"Are you alright?" Even as he asked, he noted a red patch of skin on her cheekbone; it would almost certainly be a large bruise tomorrow.

She nodded dully, not meeting his eyes. "I'm fine."

"He assaulted you?"

She looked at him this time, and he was saddened to see nothing but defence and challenge in them. "I would hardly have let him take her without a fight!" she snapped.

"I wasn't…" He rushed to reassure her that he didn't blame her, but felt honour bound to explain the whole truth first. "I'm sorry, Phryne. Isabel telephoned me to tell me she was afraid Leo would try to take Margo. I got here as soon as I could, but… You have every right to be angry with me, you should never have been put in this position."

Her expression was one of confusion now. "I'm not angry with you," she argued. Her speech was a little slow, he noticed. She was clearly feeling the after effects of a knock to the head. "I'm… I'm angry with myself."

"Phryne?" Her legs were outstretched beside him, and he put a hand on her knee, trying to anchor her somehow.

Her eyes flicked up at him and he saw them fill with tears. "I lost her," she whispered. "I'm so sorry, Jack."

"No, no, no," Jack replied quickly. "It's not your fault..." He instinctively put his hand to her cheek to wipe away the tears, but she moved away.

"Phryne," he said firmly, and caught her chin gently in his hand. "It's not your fault." But he could tell, even as he said it, that the message wasn't getting through. Just like all those months before, when she had confessed to losing Janey.

 _"I dismiss the charges," he had said, wondering at how on earth she had borne her misplaced guilt for so long._

 _Her answer had come back; quiet, honest and sad._

 _"You can't."_

He knew he couldn't then, and he knew he couldn't now, so he said the one thing he knew _would_ get through.

"I need you to help me find her."

She blinked and met his gaze again, and this time he was gratified and relieved to see her gain strength from whatever she found there. She nodded, a miniscule movement, and slid her arms up his. He was taken aback, for a moment, until he realised she was merely asking for help to get up.

He pulled her up with him, surprised at how much she seemed to lean on him. As she straightened, he saw her wince and bend slightly, favouring her stomach, and he noticed her keep her hand placed supportively on her midriff.

"What's wrong?" he asked, alarmed, his arms still around her until he was sure she could support her own weight.

"Nothing," Phryne replied dismissively, but her voice sounded breathy and weak.

Jack felt his anger building. "What did he do to you?" He had assumed Drake had been responsible for the bruise on her cheek, but chided himself that until now he hadn't thought to confirm that those were the extent of her injuries.

Dot and Hugh had joined them, Hugh having jotted down Dot's statement.

"He knocked her to the ground," Dot said, ignoring Phryne's warning glance. "And then he kicked her in the stomach."

Jack felt the blood thumping in his ears as he automatically looked down towards her midriff. "Phryne…!"

"I'm fine, Jack," Phryne insisted.

"You need to see a doctor." _Be practical_ , he thought to himself. _Stay sensible. Don't think about how much you want to kill him._

"He just winded me," Phryne said. Her manner was returning to normal now that Hugh and Dot were in the vicinity. Jack didn't know if that was a good thing or not. "I'll have a bruise, nothing more serious than that."

"Phryne…" He would never forgive himself if she got hurt whilst protecting his family, family he should have been protecting himself. Never.

"It's fine." Phryne extricated herself from his grip, proving that she could stand up on her own. "I'm coming with you. That's the end of that."

Phryne and Dot had walked with Margo down to the beach, so they all piled into the police vehicle to head back to City South. There was no discussion as to the seating arrangements, but it seemed entirely natural for Jack to nod Dot into the front seat next to Hugh and help Phryne into the back, taking the seat next to her. Dot had placed their things behind the front seat, and a pair of little buckled shoes stared up at him from the bag in the foot well.

It felt wrong to be leaving without Margo, when she had been the reason for the whole trip. He couldn't stop himself from scanning the beach one last time, just in case she was still there, just in case everything had been an awful mistake.

He forced himself to think as Collins drove through the town. Where would Drake take her? Jack knew he didn't have any family in Melbourne, in fact he wasn't sure he had any family in Australia. A hotel then. They had to get back to the station so they could send out that rego. Get every spare officer looking for that car.

"Jack?"

He'd been staring out the window, lost in thought, but turned his head sharply as Phryne said his name.

"Mm?"

"Is she safe with him?" Phryne looked desperate.

"I don't know," he answered honestly. "I think so. He just wants her for leverage, to make Isabel come back."

"She must be so scared and confused," said Phryne softly. "It all happened so quickly. The worst thing was…" she swallowed. "….he didn't even seem angry."

Jack knew what she meant. It was one thing to lash out in a fit of rage, to be driven demented by the loss of your child. Jack could understand that, even if he couldn't forgive scaring Margo and hurting Phryne that way. But to just cold heartedly execute something like that to get what you wanted… it made Jack boil inside.

He brushed his hand over his mouth in frustration. The minutes the journey was taking seemed unendurable. "If he hurts her, I swear…"

"We'll find her." Phryne put her hand in his, and he squeezed her back in return.

He nodded. "We'll find her."

When he looked back out of the window, their hands stayed joined.


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Notes:** As this story develops, I'm aware I'm dealing with sensitive subject matter and that everyone will have their own opinion. The situation between Leo and Isabel is deliberately unclear because I'm trying to tell it from the outside POV - how Jack and Phryne see it. Obviously, both those views are clouded; Jack's by his worry for his sister and Phryne's by her previous experience with Rene. My exploration in this story is of that, and their resulting interactions with Margo, rather than a story directly about Leo and Isabel. Often when you are on the outside of a bad relationship looking in, questions will remain unanswered. Hope that makes sense!

Thanks for the reviews and follows so far xx

 **Previously:** Jack and Hugh arrived at the beach to find that Leo had taken Margo and assaulted Phryne. Jack convinced Phryne to come back to the station with him and help find the little girl.

 **Chapter 6**

By the time they got back to City South, Phryne was feeling physically much better – though she knew she'd be stiff tomorrow – but emotionally, she was racked with guilt at the idea she had let Margo slip away.

Not being an unintelligent woman, she knew that the depth of her feeling was linked in some way to the disappearance of her sister all those years ago. What she couldn't bear was the idea that Jack was being sweet to her because of that, instead of being as angry at her as he had every right to be. He had trusted her in a time of need; and she had let him down. He had never done that to her. He must be worried sick about Margo, and yet he had squeezed her hand gratefully in the car as if he was glad she was there.

Phryne expected blame; desired it, even. It was what she had been used to. Her parents had railed at her after Janey went missing. Why hadn't she paid more attention? Why hadn't she looked after her better? Conveniently forgetting that they had no idea where their girls had been that day, they focussed all their rage and grief on the one daughter they had left. Eventually, they forgave her, or said they had. Her mother even apologised for the things she had said. But Phryne had been left with the unshakeable impression that she was solely responsible for the event that had blighted her family, and her own life, horribly.

It wasn't until the war that she realised she had the power to do good things too. To save a man's life, even, or at least hold his hand so he didn't feel alone. And it wasn't until she broke free of Rene she realised she had the power to control even her own happiness.

She had never looked back.

No, that wasn't true. She looked back, often, and disliked what she saw so much she invariably flung herself straight back into the incredible life she had created, one where she had the control and happiness she'd always craved. But every time something happened, every time something went wrong, she felt that jab of guilt, the knowledge that it was all her fault. The blame.

But Jack wasn't blaming her, she realised, as he placed a gentle hand on her back to guide her into his office. And she found herself thoroughly discombobulated.

She was shaken still further by the presence of another person in Jack's office. A woman, maybe five years younger than herself was sitting in the visitor chair, though she leapt up when they entered. Phryne found herself looking at a face she half recognised. The same wide, generous mouth, the same chiselled features. Her eyes were lighter than Jack's though, and at the moment, red rimmed. The kohl around her eyes had smudged, giving her a distraught air.

"Jack!" She hardly spared Phryne a look before turning to her brother. "Do you have her?"

"Isabel!" Jack paused in the doorway, surprised to see her. With a glance at Phryne, he tried to seat his sister back down.

"Where is she, Jack?" Isabel refused to be seated.

Jack swallowed. "Leo has her. He took her from the foreshore."

"Oh, God…" Isabel started crying, and Phryne made to slip out of the office, feeling like an intruder.

"Wh… who is she?"

Phryne turned round to see Jack attempt an introduction.

"Miss Phryne Fisher…" he gestured back at Isabel. "My sister," he added softly, as if Isabel needed any explanation. Phryne nodded curtly, keen to be anywhere else.

"Are you…?" Isabel's tears were abating now, in favour of anger. "Were you the one who was looking after my Margo?"

"Bel…"

"I'm sorry, Mrs Drake." Phryne interrupted Jack's pleas. The woman had every right to her anger, after all. "I wish I could have stopped him."

"But…" Isabel's eyes were dashing back and forward. Phryne could sense she was becoming hysterical. "But who are you? I don't even know who you are! Why did you have my girl?"

"Bel, I explained on the 'phone. Please don't panic. We'll find her."

"You _lost_ her!" She shouted, pushing away Jack's soothing arm. "You and her! You're both responsible!"

Phryne sensed something in Jack snap as his sister pushed him away.

"It's Leo you have to blame for this, Bel!" he said angrily. "He assaulted Miss Fisher and ran off with Margo. And none of this would have happened if you'd had the sense to warn me that he wanted to do this!"

Phryne looked at Jack in surprise. He wasn't normally so quick to anger, unless of course there was a personal connection, which there almost never was. He never brought his personal life into work, and he hated it when the two intersected.

"Are you saying this is my fault?" Now Isabel looked both upset and scandalized.

"No!" Jack visibly tried to reign himself in. "I'm saying it's Leo's. Now, you must have some idea of where he could have taken her. Does he have any family or friends in the area?"

She stuttered out a few acquaintances and Jack wrote down the addresses. Isabel, meanwhile, had noticed the bruise on Phryne's face.

"Did my husband do that?"

Phryne blinked, and nodded. "I'm afraid so."

A tear slipped down a well-worn track on Isabel's cheek. Her eyes took on a glazed look. "He doesn't normally behave like this…" Her tone was almost apologetic.

Phryne noticed a muscle in Jack's jaw twitch, and said nothing.

"When we first got married, everything was fine. He was lovely." She half smiled in remembrance. "But when we had the baby, we just argued all the time, and…" she trailed off, and Phryne was left unsure of who exactly Isabel blamed for this development.

Phryne felt her hackles rise and had to internally chide herself. She had been on the receiving end of such emotional manipulation before, after all. It could make you say and do things you didn't mean. And who was she to judge anyway?

Jack straightened up from his position at the desk. "It's gone too far this time, Bel." He sounded like he hoped, rather than believed, she would agree.

"I know." Isabel nodded firmly, her eyes still sparkling with tears. "I know. I just want my daughter back."

Jack's expression softened instantly. "We'll find her." He moved over to her. "You should go home and wait for news."

Isabel looked horrified. "Go home?"

"Yes. I'll send a Constable back with you to guard the house. You'll be safe."

"No, I want to stay. I want to be here."

"I can do this better if you go home, Bel."

Isabel looked at Phryne, outraged. "But _she's_ staying?!"

Phryne swallowed and looked at her feet. Jack was right. The sooner Isabel was safely back home, the quicker they could get on with the investigation. There was a reason frantic mothers didn't tag along in missing person cases.

"Miss Fisher is a detective. She can help find Margo," Jack explained. He sounded calm, but Phryne could see the tension in his stance.

"She lost her!" Isabel argued loudly, throwing a disgusted look at Phryne.

"Isabel, stop it!" Jack's voice rang clearly around the room. It was the loudest the conversation had got so far, and Phryne held her breath.

Again, Jack visibly calmed himself, taking a deep breath and running a hand across his face. "This is what I mean, Bel. I can't do my job with you here, it's too difficult." He gestured between them.

Isabel looked at him, seeing he was serious. "But… there's nobody at home," she said quietly. "You can't… I can't be alone just now, Jack. Please."

"Haven't you got a friend who can come and sit with you?"

 _Of course she doesn't_ , thought Phryne. Those were one of the first things to go. Other people. First because he was jealous, then because you couldn't bear to pretend everything was fine.

"You can stay at mine," she heard herself say.

Jack and Isabel both looked at her in shock, and Phryne was struck again by the similarity of their features.

"Phryne…"

"My companion Dot – she's outside – she's be happy to keep you company. That way we'll be able to contact you quickly if there's any news."

"Phryne, you don't have to…"

"It's the most practical solution, I think." Phryne looked between brother and sister. "That's if you have no objection?" she asked Isabel.

Isabel merely shook her head, stunned into speechlessness.

"If you're sure?" Jack checked. Phryne nodded quickly. "I'll get a car to take them home," he said, and then with a wary look at the two of them, left the office.

"I really am sorry, Mrs Drake," Phryne said quietly, in the silence that followed. "I wish I had been able to…"

"I shouldn't have said…"

"You have every right."

There was another silence. Isabel's eyes searched her face again. "I'm sorry… if he hurt you."

Phryne shook her head firmly. "That isn't your fault."

The door was pushed open, and Dot appeared, flanked by Jack.

"Miss?"

"Dot, would you please take Mrs Drake home and get her settled in? She's going to be our guest for a little while."

"Of course, Miss." Dot smiled at Isabel, trying to put her at ease. "If you'd like to come with me, Mrs Drake?"

Isabel nodded, and followed Dot meekly out of the room.


	7. Chapter 7

**Previously:** As the hunt for Margo got under way, Isabel agreed to stay with Phryne at Wardlow.

 **Chapter 7**

She could see from the slump of his shoulders that his enquiries had been unsuccessful. It was a warm night, and the windows of the police car were full open, allowing her to hear his sigh even before he climbed into the vehicle.

"Nothing."

It had been the last address Isabel had given them, a friend of Leo Drake's from work. All addresses had proven fruitless, and now it was starting to get dark.

Jack could tell that Phryne was starting to become weary. She had visited most of the addresses with him, but had chosen to stay in the car for the last couple. She would never admit it, but Jack could tell that climbing in and out of the car was becoming painful with her bruised stomach. Every time she winced, he felt as if he was in physical pain too, and his anger with Drake had only increased as the night wore on.

He checked his watch. It was well after Margo's bedtime. He hoped Drake at least knew how to provide basic care for his daughter; he had never, Jack knew, been a particularly hands on father. What sort of place was he keeping her in?

"I'm going to make enquiries at a few hotels," Jack said to Phryne. "It's a long shot, but I might strike lucky if I concentrate on ones near the police station or The Esplanade."

Phryne nodded. They had already realised Drake must have been following her, from City South home, and then out to the beach. Bert and Cec had been dispatched to make some enquiries with the neighbours, to see if anyone had spotted his car. But so far nothing had been yielded.

"I'll come with you," she replied.

"No." Jack's tone was decisive as he started the engine. "I'll drop you at home first."

"Jack, I told you, I'm fine."

"You're not fine. Any doctor would have told you to rest after that assault. You need to take it easy, at least get a good night's sleep."

Phryne pouted but said nothing, which just proved to Jack that he was right.

It wasn't long before they pulled up in front of her house. The lights were still on.

"Looks like your house guest is still up," Jack remarked.

"Do you want to come in?"

"No, I should get on to these hotels." It was the truth, but Jack also didn't feel like having another shouting match with Isabel. Not in Phryne's house.

"You need to get some sleep too, you know. Don't spend all night driving around."

"I won't," Jack promised, but he knew it was going to be difficult to call it a night with Margo still out there somewhere. "I just… want to make sure I've covered everything."

Phryne nodded, giving him a soft smile of understanding. Jack got out of the car and walked around to Phryne's side, helping her as she climbed out gingerly.

"I wish you'd get that seen to."

A roll of the eyes. "Don't you think you have enough to worry about?"

He tilted his head, fondness colouring the worry in his eyes. "You're always on my list."

Phryne smiled up at him. "What did I ever do," she said softly, "to deserve you, Jack Robinson?"

Jack leaned back against the car and looked at her thoughtfully. She was really asking that question?

They were illuminated by a single pool of light from a street lamp, and as they locked eyes the dark street seemed to slip away. She seemed to glow in front of him, and he felt that irresistible pull once more before the sight of the bruise on her cheek brought him back to reality. This wasn't the moment.

"I could spend hours answering that question, Miss Fisher." His voice was low and intimate. "But perhaps this isn't the right time."

She nodded slowly in agreement. "I think you're right." She looked at him wistfully for a moment, then gave him a soft smile before turning away.

Jack walked back round to his side, but paused before climbing in.

"Phryne?"

Halfway along the path, she turned.

"One day, though," he said. "Soon."

()

The soft click of a door sounded downstairs, and with it, Phryne hoped she'd heard the last of the house's sounds tonight.

The night had been a long one, and she had given up on it long before Dot and Mr Butler had, bless them. But she knew that sound; Mr Butler's door closing quietly. It had an air of finality to it. The day was done, the night was peaceful.

At last.

She had arrived home to find Dot trying to calm a hysterical Isabel. Phryne's entrance, with no fresh news of her daughter, did not help the situation one bit. The two women fought to keep her calm, a losing battle which Mr Butler clearly called before they did, because soon Mac arrived at the door, bearing her usual unflappable good sense and, even more welcome, sedatives.

Half an hour later, Isabel had been put to bed by chemical force and the house seemed slightly calmer. But Dot and Mr Butler still buzzed hither and thither, with what Phryne (extremely weary by this point) could only think was an unnecessary amount of energy. She had just melted onto the chaise with a welcome scotch, her eyes fluttering closed when she was interrupted.

"What's this about a kick to the stomach?"

Phryne dragged her eyes open. "Dot worries too much," she groaned.

Mac walked into the parlour with an air of nonchalance. "Don't know if you've ever studied anatomy much," she said casually. "Quite a lot of useful organs kept in that general area."

Phryne eyed her, wondering if she was going to get away without moving too much.

"Better to be safe than sorry," finished Mac, and jerked her head up.

Knowing she was being summoned upstairs, Phryne groaned again and heaved herself off the chaise. "If I'm going to let you examine me, there better be some drugs at the end of it."

Mac shook her case. It gave a satisfying rattle. "I always come prepared when I'm dealing with you."

()

"How much did Dot tell you?"

Mac didn't draw her eyes away from Phryne's torso. "Everything, I should think. She's fairly shaken up."

Phryne winced as Mac prodded her. "I just wish I could have - ow! – stopped him."

"On behalf of your abdomen, I'm fairly sure you tried hard enough." She stood up straight and rolled Phryne's blouse back down over the bruises.

"What's the verdict, doc?"

"Nasty. You'll be purple tomorrow. And horribly stiff."

"But no lasting damage?"

"Not as far as I can tell. But you feel so much as a twinge and I want you to come and see me at the hospital, is that understood?"

"Yes, ma'am."

Despite her sardonic delivery, Mac could see her friend was terribly tired. She lay flat on her bed, her eyelids drooping. And there was something else.

"I hope Jack finds this sad excuse for a father. He deserves to have the book thrown at him."

"He will." Phryne's eyes remained shut.

"Darling?" Mac put a hand on her friend's cheek and watched her eyes flutter open. "It's this Drake's fault you know, not anyone else's. Not yours. Especially not yours."

Phryne gave a small nod. "That's what Jack said," she replied quietly.

"Well, he's right."

"Don't look so worried. I know this isn't Janey. I know that."

"Knowing it is one thing. Feeling it is another."

"Yes."

"Well?"

A pause. "You're so wise."

"Now you're mocking me." Mac threw her head back in irritation. "Do you want me to help you get into your night things?"

"No, I'll be alright."

"Then get some sleep. I'll call round sometime tomorrow."

"Thank you, Mac."

She blinked as Mac dropped a kiss on her forehead and left. She let the silence wash over her for a few moments before getting painfully to her feet and making herself ready for bed. Leaving her clothes in a pile on the floor, she turned the lights off and crawled back beneath the covers.

Dot and Mr Butler were still moving around downstairs; preparing food for the next day, or cleaning up. God knows their routine had been completely overturned by this latest drama.

And somewhere out there, Jack was still at work too, no doubt, visiting hotel after hotel in what could only be a fruitless search. There was a stab of guilt there, and she tried to clamp down on it.

She wasn't surprised Mac had been able to sense what was troubling her. Her oldest friend, Mac knew more of her history than anyone. She also knew when not to probe; when wasn't the right time, when Phryne was just too dog-tired to deal with it.

Tomorrow she would deal with it. Tomorrow they would find Margo. Everything would be alright, if she just slept…

Low voices bade each other good night. Mr Butler's door clicked below her.

The house was quiet.


	8. Chapter 8

**Previously:** Phryne retired to Wardlow, where she and her house guest both benefited from Mac's wisdom.

 **Chapter 8**

Phryne woke up the next morning, stiff and sore and still remarkably drained. A morose languor settled over her as she began to think her sleepy optimism from the night before would prove unjustified. Nothing had changed. What if they didn't find her? What if it was all her fault?

"Miss Fisher?"

She levered herself carefully after bed – how sore she was today! – and down the stairs, where Mr Butler was holding out the telephone receiver. A few moments passed.

With that conversation, everything changed.

Here, at last, was the lead she was looking for. Her chance to make up for losing Margo. To help Jack. The chance she was never given with Janey.

"Call Bert and Cec!" she cried as she climbed the stairs to change, her pace dramatically quicker than before. "Have them come over immediately!"

Mr Butler watched his mistress's ascension with surprise. "Yes Miss!"

()

"Good morning, Inspector."

"Mr Butler."

"Is there any news?"

Mr Butler grimaced at the Inspector's disappointed shake of the head. "I'm sorry, Sir." He took his coat and hat and hung it on the hooks in the hall. "Miss Fisher is just on her way down."

"Thank you." Jack watched the older man disappear into the dining room. His attention was drawn by a figure making her way gingerly down the stairs.

"Phryne?"

He climbed a few steps up to help her and was gratified when she took his hand. Despite her stiff movement, she was smiling down at him gratefully. She seemed energised since the day before, almost back to her old self, and looked fresh and bright in a light blue blouse and white skirt.

"Thank you for coming, Jack."

"Are you alright?" he asked with some concern.

"It's because I've only just got up," she said dismissively. "A bit stiff, that's all. Any luck with the hotels?"

"No." It had been, as Jack feared, like trying to find a needle in a haystack. "How's Isabel?"

Phryne lowered her voice and aimed her eyes upwards. "Still asleep."

"Really?" Jack was shocked. It hardly seemed the morning for a lie in.

"I'm afraid it's not entirely under her own steam."

Jack raised an eyebrow, and she continued:

"She was quite hysterical. Mac had to come round, and in the end I'm afraid she had to give her a sedative."

"Oh." Well, Jack thought, raising his eyes to where his sister slept somewhere up above. It was probably just as well. "Thank you for looking after her. She wouldn't have stood being alone."

"Not at all." A smile highlighted the bruise on her cheekbone not quite hidden by make-up.

"And while Mac was here, did she by any chance…?" His eyes glanced down towards her abdomen.

"She did actually."

"Really?!"

"Yes!" Phryne looked rather offended by his surprise. "I'm not quite as cavalier with my own health as you think, Jack. After all, it would be terribly inconvenient if I were to drop down dead in the middle of an investigation, wouldn't it?"

Jack bit down on a laugh, more at her high spirits than at her joke. "Terribly. So what did – ?"

"No lasting damage. As I said."

"I'm sure she told you to rest."

"Well…"

"As _I_ said."

Phryne fixed him with a look. "Never mind that now, Jack. I didn't invite you round for a health summit. I have something to show you. Bert!"

Jack jumped. Bert appeared in the dining room. "Miss?"

"Aren't you ready yet?"

"Sure, Miss Fisher."

"Come through, Jack. Bert and Cec have been rather busy."

Jack wasn't sure what he expected to see, but of all the sights he could ever imagine in Mr Butler's kitchen, this was the most shocking. The kitchen table was covered in an enormous pile of rubbish, half of which was even now tumbling onto chairs and the floor. The rubbish was clearly a couple of days old, as could be evidenced by the smell of rotting food, and the presence of flies.

"Good God," Jack couldn't help but say.

"Oh dear," Phryne said, looking at Mr Butler with some consternation. "We seem to have made a terrible mess of your kitchen, Mr B."

The man in question looked mildly shell shocked but nodded kindly. "If it helps find the Inspector's niece, Miss…"

"How is this going to help Margo?" Jack asked, before realising that opening his mouth was a terrible idea. He tried not to gag as Phryne pulled on a pair of gardening gloves and began to poke through the rubbish.

Cec stepped in to explain. "We went door to door with the neighbours yesterday, Inspector?"

Jack nodded. He remembered arranging it with Phryne. "I thought you didn't get anything?"

"We didn't. But then old Mrs Sturrock who lives at number 15 – "

"And who ain't got anything better to do than to nosy out her window all day," interjected Bert.

"She rang up this morning to say she remembered the man in the car, sitting across from the house yesterday morning."

"Which we already knew of course," said Phryne, leaving off from her poking around to take up the story. "But then she said something else. That the man - who fits Leo's description perfectly, incidentally - got out of the car and put something in the bin across the street."

"And these are the contents of that bin?"

"Freshly delivered," smiled Cec.

Jack shrugged. "But it could have been anything."

"You underestimate Mrs Sturrock, Jack," Phryne reproached. "She said it was a brown bag with red writing on it… aha!"

She produced from the pile a medium sized brown paper bag with red script across it.

"This must be it. What does it say?"

Jack peered closely at it. " _Nellie's Café_. And there's an address on Broad Street."

"I know the place," said Bert. "Pretty low down."

"So we know where he bought his lunch," Jack said, looking at Phryne hopefully. He saw the reason for her good mood now, and it was contagious. "It's a start."

But Cec had grabbed the bag and was looking at it closely. "It might be more than a start," he said carefully. He looked up to see all four pairs of eyes on him.

"My mate used to live above Nellie's. It's a boarding house too."

()

Phryne had begun to feel more like her old self again ever since Mrs Sturrock's 'phone call, even as she made her way carefully down the stairs to greet Jack. She had watched his tired eyes gain confidence and surety from her manner; his brow begin to furrow into that familiar pattern that meant the chase was on. And now, finally, when they both realised the full importance of this new lead, her heart jumped as he leapt into action, grabbing the paper bag from Cec and rushing through to the hallway.

Phryne was on his heels, the thrill of the chase pounding in her blood, as he took up the telephone and dialled the number on the bag. Their eyes locked as the listened to the phone ring, their hearts racing.

"Yes, hello. This is Inspector Robinson of City South police station. I'd like to know if you have a man staying with you by the name of Leopold Drake."

He knew it was a long shot even before Phryne shook her head and mouthed "false name."

"Anyone, then, by this description: 6ft tall, blonde hair, Irish accent. He may have a child with him, a three year old girl."

Jack listened carefully then cut in with an excited tone. "Blonde curly hair, yes!" His tone quickly became serious as Phryne gripped his arm. "Now, listen to me. Don't do anything at all. I'll be there shortly. Don't say anything to him, do you understand?"

Satisfied with the response, Jack rung off, nodding eagerly at Phryne as he replaced the handset.

"He's there. They both are."

Phryne was already pulling hats and coats off the hooks.

"Let's go!"


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's Notes** : Thanks for all the reviews and follows! This is 9 of 11 chapters so winding up to the climax! Enjoy!

 **Previously:** Jack and Phryne got a lead on Leo's whereabouts.

 **Chapter 9**

"At least we know where they are."

They were sitting in Phryne's car, parked a little way in front of Leo Drake's vehicle and directly opposite Nellie's Café. It was, as Bert had intimated, a fairly low class establishment; grubby windows and faded red gingham table cloths. Above the ground floor was a row of windows that indicated the rooms above; the boarding house that Mrs 'Nellie' Myers would let out for a bit of extra money.

A plain clothes police officer had already been in to ascertain both Drake's room number, and the presence of him and his daughter. They had been in their room all day.

"I just don't want him to do anything stupid."

Phryne nodded. They were both itching for action, but they couldn't take any risks with Margo in the room too. Besides, the officer had reported back (courtesy of Mrs Myers) that as of this morning Margo had seemed healthy and happy. Jack had breathed a huge sigh of relief. Leo was at least _able_ to look after her, then. And the chances were high that she wasn't in immediate danger. With that in mind, the most prudent course of action was to wait it out: no matter how frustrating that was.

"Jack!"

He followed Phryne's pointing finger. Inside the café, he could just see Leo on the ground floor. He appeared to be paying for something. Maybe the room, maybe lunch? Either way, Margo didn't seem to be with him.

"He's left her," he breathed. This was their chance. "You know the room number?"

"I'll get her, Jack." Phryne's voice was firm, confident. He stole a look at her, and they held each other's gaze for a split second.

"Go."

Jack opened his door and sped across the road. As her burst into the café he was only dimly aware of Phryne racing up nearby stairs to another level. Leo turned around and gave a bellow of shocked frustration at the sight of his brother-in-law, and unceremoniously pushed Mrs Myers out of the way in his desperation to escape.

Jack followed him through the back room of the café and then through a dingy outside alley, doing his best to sidestep old wooden crates and bags of rubbish as he did so.

"Drake!" he shouted.

But Leo had no intention of stopping, and with a spurt of speed he darted into the road, completely unheeding of the cars coming towards him.

Jack swore as a car collided with the running man. Leo's body was thrown upwards and he landed with a crack on the pavement. Blood pumping in his ears, Jack ran across the road towards where he lay.

"Arrgg-ngggg…." Leo's face was contorted with pain. "You… you fockin' did this," he rasped, his Irish brogue stronger than ever.

Jack knelt down beside him, panting. "It's alright," he called to the shocked driver of the vehicle. "It was his fault, not yours."

"My fockin' leg…."

His leg was certainly in a bad way, bent sideways on the stone. But, as far as Jack could see, there didn't seem to be any other injury.

"You'll live," he said dryly.

"You never could leave us alone, could you…" Leo's face was getting paler, and Jack looked around to see if anyone had bothered to call an ambulance. He didn't much care, himself. But Collins waved over at him and he nodded back.

"Help is coming," he told Leo curtly. "Not that you deserve it." He got to his feet. "Leopold Drake, I am arresting you for the kidnap of Margo Drake and the assault of Miss Phryne Fisher."

"Fock yis," was Leo's reply. "She's my daughter. Yis'll never make it stick."

Jack clenched his jaw in anger and turned away, leaving his brother-in-law to his own devices.

"Collins?"

Hugh ran over. "An ambulance is on its way, Sir."

"Never mind that. Where's Margo?"

Hugh pointed back into the café, and Jack jogged back into the building. Phryne was there, seated at a table. Margo was in her arms.

Jack released what seemed like a gigantic breath. She was alright. He swallowed, and approached them with a relieved smile. Phryne saw him and rose to meet him.

"Look who's here, Margo?"

"Uncle Jack!"

"Hello, trouble." Jack took Margo from Phryne's arms, hugging her tightly against his chest.

"I saw what happened outside," Phryne whispered softly. "I thought it was better to keep her in here."

Jack nodded gratefully before addressing Margo.

"What have you been doing all this time?"

"Daddy came," Margo said, and there was a hint of confusion in her voice. "Where's Mummy?"

"She's waiting for you," Jack replied, with a look at Phryne.

"I'll telephone home," Phryne whispered.

She slipped off. Jack drew back from his niece to look her in the face. "Are you alright, sweetheart?" He could see she was still in the same clothes as yesterday – not even any shoes, which he remembered were back at Wardlow. But other than that, she looked well.

She was nodding at him, though there seemed to be something bothering her. "We diddun make the sandcastle," she said, pointing at Phryne.

"Oh, no?" Jack asked. He smiled, thinking of how well Phryne had taken care of her, so that her abiding memory of the traumatic few days was not anger at her parents, but regret that she didn't get to make a sandcastle. He supposed it was for the best.

"That's alright, sweetheart. We'll make one soon, I promise."

()

They returned to Wardlow as soon as possible, where Jack was angered to learn that Isabel had not waited for their return, but gone straight to the hospital.

"I told her what had happened to Drake," Phryne said apologetically.

"She did ask that you take Margo to her as soon as possible," interjected Mr Butler, aware of Jack's darkening expression.

"For God's sake," Jack muttered. "Could she not have waited?" It was too like the Isabel he knew to go running off to see Leo, ignoring the fact that just hours ago she had been desperate for her daughter's safe return. He knew then, that he had been insane to hold out any hope that she would finally leave Drake. Her loyalties were to him and him alone.

"Mummy?" asked Margo, squirming in his arms.

Phryne leant in, seeing that Jack was struggling with his emotions. "We're just going to get you cleaned up, darling. Then we'll go and see Mummy." She passed the child over to Dot, who was to take charge of the cleaning and re-clothing process.

As soon as she was out of his arms, Jack stalked through to the kitchen, noting even in his anger that it had been turned back into the spick and span oasis he was so used to seeing. Not a trace of rubbish remained. In a strange way, it's absence made him feel slightly empty, as if this whole episode was yet another to be swept under the carpet; ignored, in favour of his sister's all-consuming love for what Jack was convinced was a thoroughly dangerous man.

"Jack? Are you alright?"

Phryne had followed him into the kitchen and was eyeing him with concern.

He nodded. She pursed her lips, but didn't say anything, just moved to the hob and set the kettle on the heat.

"We have time for some tea while Dot's getting her cleaned up. Sit down."

He sat down wordlessly, unable to express the thoughts running through his head. Half of him was angry with Bel, half of him knew it was Leo who should be blamed. And all of him was breaking for the little girl caught up in it all.

After a few moments, Phryne set a tea cup in front of him, and sat down in the opposite seat.

"It's alright to be angry, you know."

Jack shook his head, guilt filling him. "I know this is Drake's fault, Phryne. But God forgive me, I can't understand how she can do this. She's her mother."

Phryne nodded silently.

"I don't… who am I to… I mean, I don't have children…" he was babbling now, and he knew it. "But don't they come first? Isn't that how it works?"

"It should be," Phryne answered thoughtfully. "But you and I see things every day… it isn't always universal."

Jack thought of the cases he had seen. Poverty stricken families, usually. Caught in cycles of crime and violence, children first the victims, then the perpetrators. But he couldn't fit Bel into that pattern.

He thought about their childhood and internally fought down a surge of emotion as he wondered what his parents would make of all this.

"Our lives were always too bland for Bel," he blurted out. "Our parents had a good marriage. They didn't discipline us unfairly, or give us anything to rebel against. There wasn't any drama, and she felt like she was missing something. Then the war happened, and she missed out on that too. She's always been looking for danger." His eyes flicked up at her, as if worried he had inadvertently insulted her. "Not like you. It's not an adventure, or living life to the full, it's..." he shook his head. "It's the importance. The dramatics of being in the tortured, tempestuous relationship, or throwing hysterics in the middle of a police station... it's always... I love her, but I've always hated that side of her."

Phryne nodded. She could see how that would grate on Jack; so private and unassuming.

"People can change, Jack. You don't know how this will end."

Jack smiled at her sadly. She was an optimist, no matter how she tried to hide it. He loved it about her, like he loved everything else, but this time he couldn't bring himself to agree.

"Yes, I do."


	10. Chapter 10

**Previously:** Jack and Phryne found Leo and Margo, but Leo ran into the road and got hit by a car. Jack was unconcerned.

 **Chapter 10**

Jack's heart sank when he saw Leo, sitting up in his bed on the public ward. He knew the presence of other patients and families wouldn't stop Bel making a scene, if it came down to it. He paused at the entrance to the room, internally bracing himself for the conversation to follow. But Margo called out for her mother instantly and Bel and Leo looked over, so there was no chance to get his thoughts together, even if it could be done.

"Margo?" Bel had stood up from her chair but remained at Leo's bedside. Margo squirmed in Jack's arms.

"Go on," said Phryne softly, her hand at Jack's back. "I'll wait here."

He looked at her, feeling like he had more chance of remaining calm if she came with him. He couldn't ask her, though, could he? That would seem…

But she had seen his unspoken dilemma, and acted decisively, nodding and running a hand down the arm that held onto Margo. "Come on," she said softly, walking with him. He blinked gratefully.

"Mummy!"

Bel moved forward as they approached and scooped her daughter out of Jack's arms.

"Oh! My darling girl!" There were tears in her voice. "It's so good to see you."

"She never was in any danger," Leo grumbled from the bed. His leg was plastered and suspended above the mattress.

Jack looked sharply at him, and Phryne had to stop herself from placing a soothing hand on his back. Leo, however, was balking at his wife's expression, not Jacks.

"Though…" Leo's words were clearly distasteful to him. "I realise that you all must have been worried. I shouldn't have done it the way I did." His accent was softer now, his expression contrite.

"You kidnapped your daughter, Leo," Jack stated coldly. "It's still a crime."

"You heard him, he's sorry for what he did," Isabel said, leaning towards Jack with Margo still in her arms.

"I don't think I did hear him say that," Jack replied. He would have loved to have been wrong about this; just loved it. But he could already see how this was all going to pan out. She was going to withdraw the charges, go back to him and pretend all of this had never happened.

The very sight of Leo was making him angry. "I'll be proceeding with the charges. A constable will remain here until you are released, and then we'll take you into custody."

"Jack!" Isabel protested, but her brother cut her off -

He didn't look at her. "If you want to make any further statements you'll need to come to the station."

With that, he turned on his heel and walked out of the ward.

Phryne remained, and Isabel turned to her at once. "Miss Fisher, can't you please…?"

"I can't do anything to change Jack's mind," she warned. She didn't add that she had no wish to. She beckoned Isabel to the side, out of Leo's hearing. Isabel shot her husband a nervous glance, but followed Phryne.

"Will you two be alright?" Margo was looking up at her with big eyes and she gave her a soft, reassuring smile as she waited for Isabel's reply.

Isabel smiled too, though hers was a forced affair. "Miss Fisher, I'm not sure what Jack has told you…"

"He didn't need to tell me anything, Mrs Drake. I was there last night when you were so scared you needed to be sedated. I was there when you told me how Leo had changed since Margo was born. And, by the way, I was also there when he grabbed Margo and knocked me to the ground."

"Please…" Isabel was flustered, trying to cover Margo's ears. "Don't…"

Phryne shook her head. "I'm sorry if you don't want her to hear, but I'd wager she's heard worse." Who knew what fights Margo had overheard in the family home; what accusations, what insults?

"I know you might not believe me," Isabel said, her tone low and panicky. "But we love each other."

"I have no problem believing that. I've…" Phryne swallowed, thinking back to those intense, terrible months in Paris. "I've loved people who were bad for me too."

"He's never done anything to hurt me. Or Margo. Not physically. Ever."

Phryne nodded. It might be true. She was inclined to believe her. Maybe that's what made it easier for her to defend him. But she knew herself Leo was a violent man. She had the imprint of his boot on her stomach to prove it.

"Even if that's true," she said.

"It is."

"Even if it is… it doesn't mean he's not bad for you."

"Miss Fisher?" The voice, soft and lilting, came from the bed.

Phryne ignored it and spoke to Isabel. "I need to get back to the station." She turned and made to follow Jack's route out of the ward.

"Please, Miss Fisher. I just want to apologise."

Unwilling to make a scene in front of Isabel and Margo, Phryne bit her lip and walked slowly towards the bed.

He looked up at her, his expression open and, superficially, sincere.

"What?"

"About that scuffle on the beach," he said, disarmingly, as if it had been a pleasant game of tug o'war. Phryne felt herself tense up.

"What about it?" she said, flatly.

"I was in a bad way, y'see. I know I shouldn't have done it, but I thought I was never gonna see me daughter again. It made me crazy, you know. But, I am sorry, Miss Fisher. Really I am."

Phryne exhaled slowly as she remembered the cold and calculating attack. Leaning forward, and making sure Isabel and Margo couldn't hear her, she whispered:

"You weren't in a bad way. You weren't crazy. And you're not sorry. And I will not drop the charges."

His jaw clenched and she saw him think it, even if he didn't say it. _Bitch._

She shot him a humourless smile, and walked out of the ward.

()

Jack was sitting in the passenger side of the Hispano when she returned. She had driven them to the hospital in her car, Margo sitting in Jack's arms.

"I'm sorry I walked out," Jack said as she climbed in.

"Don't be. I don't blame you." She had no intention of telling Jack about her exchange with Drake. It would only make him angrier.

"What happened when I left?"

"I talked to Isabel for a moment. I asked her if she'd be alright. She said she would be."

Jack sighed and put his fingers to the bridge of his nose. "I should have done that."

"Stop it." She reached across and took his hand. "I told you I wanted to help."

Jack was silent for a moment. Phryne could see his eyes travelling to the bruise on her cheek, then down to where he knew she was marked on her abdomen. "If I'd have known you would end up getting…"

"Stop it," she said again, quietly. He knew her better to think that danger would deter her from doing the things she felt passionate about. And helping Jack, and Jack's family, she realised, was something she was extraordinarily passionate about.

She would do anything, really, to take the distraught look off of his face right now.

But Jack, as ever, wasn't thinking of himself.

"What else can I do?" Jack said. It wasn't a rhetorical question.

"I don't know what else there is to do. She'll probably drop the charges."

"I know."

"I won't drop mine."

He nodded. "I'm glad."

"But I don't believe it'll stop them staying together."

Jack's eyes closed as he acknowledged the truth of what she said.

"She promised me he's never hurt her. I believed her, for what it's worth."

He looked at her. "Really? Even after what he did to you?"

"Yes." Phryne nodded. She felt like she'd been able to get the measure of the man, even in the short space of time they'd had together. "He doesn't lose his temper, Jack. He isn't the type to get angry, or drunk, or mad and lash out. He will use violence," she said. "But only when he means to. Only when it suits him."

Jack turned to look straight out of the windscreen. An air of despondency settled around them.

"I know that isn't particularly helpful," Phryne said. "But I'm sure it's true."

He nodded. "I agree with you. I'm just not sure what I can do about it." He turned and looked at her earnestly. "I'll throw the book at him for what he did to you. But we both know that won't get him much of sentence – if any – and I can hardly arrest him for something I fear he might do in the future."

"You'll be there for her," Phryne said. "It's all you can do."

There was a long silence, in which Phryne watched his jaw clench and unclench. She knew there was something he wanted to say, something that had been brewing since they sat in her kitchen.

"Jack?"

He drew his fingers across his mouth, shaking his head.

"Tell me," she prompted.

"I'm not sure if I can be there for her anymore," he said. His tone was flat, but his voice was thick with emotion.

"Jack…"

"I mean it, Phryne." He turned to look at her, and she was saddened to see his eyes filled with tears. "I've been through this with her time and time again, and every time it's more difficult." He shook his desperately. "I can't do anything to get him away from her, no matter what I say. And now he's managed to harm you as well –"

"Jack, that doesn't –"

"Don't you dare say it doesn't matter!" Jack snapped. "Of course it matters! You of all people… Don't you understand how frustrating it is to hear that? Day in, day out, the amount of women who tell me it doesn't matter!"

Phryne nodded, feeling choked. She knew what he was talking about, she had seen it; both on occasional outings with Jack and when she lived in Collingwood. There were too many women out there who were willing to write off their wellbeing as unimportant. But she knew something else too.

"You have no idea how unique you are, Jack," she said softly. "Back in Collingwood, nobody would have thought about calling the police over a domestic. But you make it your business. You're on their side. You get them help."

She knew this, because she'd seen it. Jack wasn't the sort of policeman to let a situation like that slip by unremarked. He didn't understand that sort of policing. It was part of the reason for his unthinkably long hours; that urge to follow up on everything, to do everything he could, whether it was getting a battered wife somewhere safe to stay, or liaising with welfare, or making sure a violent boyfriend was kept off the streets. She'd seen it, on her frequent trips to the station. She'd heard it from Hugh. It had become engrained in her knowledge of Jack Robinson, but even without that, she thought she had probably known it right from the beginning. Right from that moment in Lydia Andrews' bathroom.

 _"I plan to make this town less dangerous, Miss Fisher."_

He had really meant it. For everyone.

But maybe that made it worse, she realised. To spend his life championing the lives of the vulnerable, and be unable to help his own sister.

And herself. She realised that was a factor too, for him. Every other time she had been in danger had been because she had thrown herself there; her own recklessness, really. But this time, it was his family that had brought her danger.

And she recognised that all-encompassing guilt, because of course, she had experienced it herself.

He reinforced her surmise, when he shook his head sadly. "Not this time."

She rolled her eyes and took his hand. "Responsibility and guilt," she said quietly, "are very closely linked. How could we not feel responsible for our little sisters?"

Jack looked up at her in surprise then squeezed her hand in understanding and acknowledgment. "You're trying to point out that we absolve each other more easily than we do ourselves."

"That, certainly. But also, whatever your burden of guilt, please don't add me to it. I couldn't bear to be part of the problem."

Jack gave her a look that told her he considered her anything but. He pulled their joined knuckles up to his lips and pressed his lips to them. "I can never thank you enough for what you've done. With Isabel, Margo… I may not like how it ended but… you were the only thing that kept me sane."

"It hasn't ended yet."

He smiled ruefully and squeezed her hand again, adding a swipe of his thumb across the back of her knuckles.

"It will. So maybe it really is time to give up responsibility. "

Phryne remained silent. They both knew Jack was more likely to spout wings and fly to the moon that refuse help to someone who needed it; especially his sister. The fact that he was even saying these words spoke more about his pain than anything else.

"Let's go back," she said softly. "If she does come back to end this, let's give it our best shot."

His eyes closed briefly at the word 'our'. His voice, when it answered her, was dry and choked.

"Alright."


	11. Chapter 11

**Author's Note** : This is the final chapter. Sorry for the delay in posting, I meant to do it last night but things got messy.. there were martinis and *gags a bit*... never mind. More notes at the end.

 **Previously** : Jack and Phryne visited Leo in the hospital and gave Margo back to her mother. Jack suspected Isabel would drop the charges and wondered if he could continue to support her if she went back to Leo.

 **Chapter 11**

They sat, busying themselves with paperwork, pretending they weren't waiting for Isabel to come through the station door.

Despite Jack's jabs about the quality of Phryne's documentation the week before, he found the lady detective a very able assistant when it came to writing up the case. They were hurrying, of course, though they were pretending not to. Trying to get as much of the work done before Isabel could call the whole thing off.

"Maybe you did deserve that badge after all," Jack commented dryly, looking over a sheet covered in her neat hand.

"Good job I never gave it back," Phryne answered tartly, and they smiled at each other for a moment, remembering their last case. How long ago that seemed.

"Uncle Jack!"

They both looked up in unison and Jack was in the foyer in an instant, scooping an excitable Margo off the ground and high above him.

"What's this, Collins? A new prisoner?"

Margo screamed delightedly as Jack swung her back into his arms. Hugh laughed, then trailed off as he noticed Isabel standing by the door.

"Good afternoon, Mrs Drake."

Jack's smile died as brother and sister exchanged a nervous look. Phryne could sense Jack grip Margo more tightly, perhaps in the knowledge this might be their last meeting for a while.

"Hello, Jack."

"Bel." He nodded in answer to her unspoken question. "Just give me a second." He turned to his constable. "Hugh, would you mind watching Margo while I have a word with my sister?"

"Of course, Sir."

Jack sat Margo on the counter. "You behave for Senior Constable Collins, Margo. He's easily led."

Phryne smiled at his joke, but couldn't help feeling a pang of sadness as he pressed a kiss to the top of the child's head. Dear Jack. He was trying to say goodbye without making a scene. The realisation brought a wave of anger over her, and she swallowed, trying to keep calm as she followed Isabel and Jack into the office.

It was evident everyone in the room knew why they were there. Jack took up a position behind his desk, gripping the back of his chair so tight Phryne could see the whites of his knuckles.

Isabel twisted her gloves in her hand, the creaking leather the only sound in the deathly silent room. Eventually she spoke.

"I've come to apologise."

Jack nodded slowly. "Have you?"

"Yes." She exhaled and sat down in the visitor's chair. Phryne stood back against the window, trying to make herself as unobtrusive as possible.

"I should never have brought you into this," Isabel continued. "I've wasted your time, and Miss Fishers. It was just a silly argument."

"He kidnapped your daughter." Jack's voice was cold.

"But don't you see?" Isabel pleaded. "That just shows how much he wants to be with us – with both of us! He did that because he finally realised what he stood to lose if he carried on with his behaviour. We can have a new start now, Jack."

"Isabel. Please don't do this."

But she stood up, her head held high. "My mind is made up. This isn't a police matter."

Though it was what he was expecting, Jack's frustration was evident. "You made it a police matter when you dumped Margo with me. And you ASKED me to find her for you. You can't just pick and choose!"

"He's her father! No crime was committed if I say it wasn't."

"He'll still be charged with the assault on Miss Fisher," Jack pointed out, indicating Phryne.

Isabel looked at her with such pain that Phryne almost felt bad about not dropping the charges. But only almost. Pointless trying to make Jack's sister feel better now if it was just going to lead to more harm in the long run.

"He... he was distraught," Isabel stammered. "He didn't mean..."

"He wasn't distraught," Phryne said firmly. "And I'm afraid he did mean."

Isabel blinked and shook her head. "His lawyers will..."

"His lawyers can do what they want." Jack interrupted. "Leo has committed two crimes - that I know of. If you're so determined to shield him from one charge, I'm going to make damn sure he doesn't escape the other." His eyes were cold, his voice firm and clear. This was Jack at his most authoritarian, and it seemed to deeply unsettle his sister.

"Can't you just be my brother?" Isabel cried. "Or are you so wedded to your damn job you can no longer distinguish between the two?"

"Fine." Jack suddenly walked around the desk towards his sister. His voice dropped as he appealed to her. "You want me to talk like your brother? Leave him."

Isabel shook her head dismissively, as if Jack was talking nonsense.

"Leave him." Jack took Isabel's hands in his, looking at her intently. "I mean it. He's bad for you. He's bad for Margo. Even if you are willing to put up with what he puts you through, don't make Margo go through it too. She doesn't have the choice!"

There was a pause as Isabel looked at him, judging his sincerity.

"Please," Jack said quietly. "Please, Bel. I'm so worried about you both."

Isabel seemed to be affected by this heartfelt plea; her eyes were filling up, but still she shook her head determinedly.

"You don't understand, Jack," she said tearfully, and Phryne saw Jack's shoulders sag at the realisation that he couldn't reach her. "I just want to be with the man I love," Isabel pleaded. "I know he's not perfect - nobody is, but we love each other so much. That's why it's difficult sometimes."

"For God's Sake!" Jack shook his head angrily, and Phryne could sense his unease. What could one say to an argument like that?

"It's worth it," Isabel continued. "It's worth it to have him, to have us. Margo and Leo; they're my world. It's all I want. All I ever wanted. You understand that, Jack? You must understand. It's the same thing you want." At this, she shot a glance at Phryne, who felt herself redden. "Or, it used to be."

"Fine!" he snapped in return, stung by her attempts to shift the focus on to him. "Go back to him. But he'll do this again, Bel, and when he does..." his brow creased, and he faltered. Sitting back against his desk with a defeated look, he continued:

"You know where I am."

Isabel stared at him for a moment, nodded once, and then left the office. Outside, they could hear her thanking Hugh as she scooped Margo up and out of the station.

Jack remained perched on the end of his desk, looking blankly through the foyer at the door his sister and niece had disappeared through. Phryne went to his office door, shooting a grateful smile at Hugh as she shut it gently behind her, leaving her and Jack alone together in the quiet office.

Jack stayed quiet, and she leaned against the inside of the door for a few moments, letting him gather his thoughts. Eventually he let out a great sigh, putting his fingers to his temples.

"Well. That went pretty much as expected."

"You did everything you could, you know," Phryne said softly, her head still resting against the glass door panel.

"Did I?" Jack rubbed his tired eyes. "I don't know. Half of me wants to pin every unsolved case in the files on him, lock him up and throw away the key."

"No, Jack..." Phryne said gently, walking to stand in front of him. "That's not how you do things. You can't stoop to his level. And you wouldn't try to control her that way."

"Wouldn't I?" Jack asked bleakly, before a blink of his eyes signalled the truth of her words.

"Anyway," she said, adopting a hurt tone. "We don't _have_ any unsolved cases, do we?"

Jack chuckled, making her smile, and then his expression hardened.

"He's going to be the ruin of her," Jack said ruminatively. "And Margo too."

"At least she knows she always has you. I know that must have been difficult for you to say." It had slightly broken her heart, that. Watching him trying to give her no option but to leave him, but being unable to refuse her help if she didn't.

Or, if it hadn't broken her heart, it had made her love him even more.

"She's my sister," he murmured. And then, as if worried the mood was getting too bleak, he gave a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "You can't choose your family, I suppose."

Phryne thought about the ramshackle band of friends she had gathered to her since her arrival in Melbourne. She certainly thought of them as family, more so than her actual relatives, sometimes. She couldn't imagine being without them now. Especially Jack. She looked down him with great fondness.

" _I_ did," she said aloud. She was aware of her heartbeat, but it wasn't racing. It was strong and steady and sure.

Jack tilted his head. "I suppose you did."

She put out a hand and drew it down his face, coming to a stop at his chin. She leaned towards him.

"And you're mine," she whispered, and pressed her lips quickly to his.

Jack's reactions seemed to suffer a shocked delay, and by the time he was reaching for her, she was already pulling back. She could have sworn she heard a small whimper escape him as his lips registered her absence.

She smiled down at him as he blinked in surprise, then pulling himself together, rose to standing, grabbed her, and kissed her properly.

At length, they broke apart.

"About time," she breathed.

Jack could only nod, his eyes glazed and his breath coming in pants.

"Dinner?" she suggested breathily.

He nodded, and made to follow her out of the room. She put a hand on his chest.

"It's still the middle of the day, Jack.

Jack flushed. "Of course," he said, finding his voice.

"Come round tonight?"

He nodded, biting down on a grin. She made to leave, but he pulled her back, into another embrace that spoke less of stunned jubilation and more of deep and sensual passions. His mouth moved against hers in a way that made her tremble at the knees, and when they broke, apart, it was her turn to look flushed and weak.

"I can't wait," whispered Jack.

She left without another word, leaving Jack staring blankly at his door for a few minutes more as he allowed his thoughts to catch up with him.

The situation with Isabel had ended exactly as he had thought it would. He had no doubt it would rear its head again in the future, but for now, this chapter at least was over. His involvement had been temporary, unsatisfactory, and predictable.

But from it somehow had sprung a new beginning. And Jack had a feeling that his involvement in this chapter was going to be very different.

FIN

 **A/N** : Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this little story. Thanks to those who reviewed and followed too, your thoughts and feedback mean a lot to me. For anyone who thinks there are some loose ends, don't worry. I suspect Margo may be back.


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